The Nurturing Librarian

Nicole reflects on election-season anxiety and how escapism through books can offer respite. She shares her upcoming plan to walk the Camino with a long-time friend and how Every Step She Takes inspired their pilgrimage. She connects the craving for community and restoration to novels that transport readers to new places and found families. The episode also highlights two recent book arrivals: Sar...

Book banning reached record levels this past year, with nearly 12,000 titles across 114 school districts. Over 7,300 unique titles were affected, including more than 4,500 titles added to the index for the first time. This episode is a passionate defense of reading as self-care, civic right, and empathy-building practice. Using stories from library boards and high school libraries, Nicole contrast...

Nicole breaks down four must‑attend live book events for lovers of reading: bookstore crawls, book release parties, book festivals, and author signings. Drawing on a recent tri‑state bookstore crawl with friends, she describes the passport system, the community energy, surprising neighborhood discoveries, and the unique vibes of independent shops—from romance boutiques to gothic, Harry Potter‑esqu...

Never listened to audiobooks? Or need new recs? Nicole has been listening for 20 years and walks you through her top ten picks with quick emotional takes—why Tom Lake felt intimate with Meryl Streep’s voice, why Tress of the Emerald Sea is an accessible, warm fantasy, and why James and Sunrise on the Reaping are tough but rewarding listens. She describes Heartwood’s multi-narrator structure, the g...

This episode explores nostalgia as a form of self-care during unsettled times. Nicole traces 90s revival signs—from fashion and commercials to HGTV remakes—and explains why reaching back to comforting eras matters across generations. She shares personal fall plans: rereading or revisiting beloved fandoms like Twilight (now experiencing Edward’s point of view in Midnight Sun), considering reimagine...

Welcome in or welcome back to Season 3 of the show! Let's catch up on how your summer went, how your fall reading TBR is shaping up and Nicole will update us on her manuscript and book recs for mood reading in September and beyond.

It's time to reflect on how your reading has gone in 2026 so far. Nicole reports on what and how she has been reading with some insights that are surprising and help her build what she wants the rest of the reading year to look like. Nicole also mentions Book Festivals that are often a fun bookish event without an entrance fee and her reconsideration of what may actually be the book of the summer.

This is a choose-your-own-adventure summer, and Nicole is here to tell you how to get the most out of it. The bad news is there is no big blockbuster we are all reading this summer, but the good news is that you can read whatever you want and maybe even get those non-reading friends to join you. Go check out a bookstore that does paint-by-numbers or book wreath crafting, go on a blind date with a...

Are you craving adventure? Want to escape the realities of adulting for a while? In this episode, Nicole recommends middle-grade adventure stories to get you back in touch with that inner child of yours that still believes in the possibility of magic, that has resilience in the face of trauma, and yearns to go on a good old-fashioned quest again.

On this episode, Nicole updates us on her writing journey and gives recs for Midsummer that include Summerween, Midsommar vibes, and Juneteenth. And in theme for this summer, more ideas on how to read on the cheap, including swapping books with neighbors and friends, and checking out library book sales and local yard and garage sales.

Continuing the theme of reading on a dime this summer, Nicole pitches a resource where you can get your hands on real, physical copies of books for free-the Little Free Library. These amazing structures not only offer free books (take one, leave one, or not) but also provide a wonderful way to tour your local town or city and connect with the reading community around you. Can you take on the chall...

Making the case for libraries as valuable summer resources, this episode presents a unique take on summer reading lists, steering clear of new, expensive releases. Nicole introduces a variety of older but equally engaging and diverse reads available freely in libraries. By sharing strategies such as library waitlist hacks and focusing on forgotten treasures, listeners can have a summer full of rea...

In this episode, listeners are taken on a journey through the world of audiobooks, exploring their versatility and convenience. From utilizing library services to experimenting with different genres, the episode offers a guide to making the most out of audiobooks. Whether it’s for a long road trip or a short walk, the discussion underscores the role of audiobooks in enriching and enhancing the eve...

Are readers too sensitive nowadays? Nicole explores trigger warnings in books, noting their rise after the COVID-19 pandemic amid increasing awareness of mental health issues, particularly in Gen Z. These warnings serve as alerts for potentially distressing content, aiming to prevent exacerbating readers' anxieties. The episode discusses if these warnings are necessary while acknowledging their in...

This podcast episode of the Nurturing Librarian is a deep dive into what happens after the excitement of finishing a manuscript fades. Navigating the next steps, Nicole goes through the importance of receiving critiques and understanding the writing community's role. The podcast guides new authors on managing feedback, drawing from personal anecdotes and established authors' advice. Nicole offers...

Venturing through her birthday book haul, Nicole contemplates current reading trends. As she grapples with her manuscript revisions, she also shares insights from her writing journey, particularly her struggles with point of view and character interiority. This episode captures a period of self-reflection, balancing the joy of new books and the challenges of refining her craft, as she aims to step...

Nicole is watching books she has previously read including Margo's Got Money Troubles which just debuted as a streaming series. What is the benefit of book adaptations? What are the cons? Some hit and some don't but they always lead back to books. ****Resources Alyssa Matesic YouTuber/Editor Just a Girl and her Tropes FB group for romance readers and writers run by me! Connect with me on Insta, Bl...

The episode explores the controversy surrounding 'Shy Girl,' a book canceled by Hachette due to claims it was partially AI-generated. Originally an independent success, the book faced scrutiny after an editing process alleged to involve AI altered its content. This situation sparked a broader conversation about AI's growing role in publishing, raising important questions about authorship, creativi...

Nicole has some hot takes on the newly released book Just Friends from YouTube book influencer Haley Pham and the blockbuster bestseller The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. She uses her writer's eye to discuss the way these books are perfect for comparing and contrasting writing and book publishing in 2026. What does it take to become a great writer? If your first manuscript is accepted for publi...

This is the first of a special series chronicling Nicole's journey to write her first novel. She discusses the pivot to writing after prior careers, the decision to learn the craft on her own rather than through programs like an MFA, and joining writing communities in person and online. She also describes the overwhelming questions of what to do once you have written the first draft of a manuscrip...

Nicole talks about series she's reading, finished or DNF'd, and how the definition of series has changed from multiple books to duologies, trilogies, novellas, and short stories. There's big news on a beloved series continuing this fall and a sequel to one of Nicole's favorite books being released ten years later. Just a Girl and her Tropes FB group for romance readers and writers run by me! Conne...

Nicole discusses the evolution of the fantasy genre from epic adventures written often by authors in one lane to a breadth of choices that offer new takes on worlds welcoming and featuring those most underrepresented in the canon. From urban to cozy, high to romantasy, Nicole advocates that there is a fantasy for everyone, which is critical, but fantasies not only offer us escape, they offer us ho...

Join Nicole as she recounts a recent author event that she attended with great reviews of the author B. K. Borison, but mixed of the experience itself. What should the expectations of a live author event be? Intimate setting with questions? An interview by another author? A Phot Op? Nicole weighs in. Just a Girl and her Tropes FB group for romance readers and writers run by me! Connect with me on...

Book adaptations are always a gamble. Emerald Fennel's adaptation of Wuthering Heights is definitely causing a stir. Nicole has seen it and gives her take on this adaptation specifically and the idea of them in general. Just a Girl and her Tropes FB group for romance readers and writers run by me! Connect with me on Insta, Blue Sky, LinkedIn, Storygraph at The Nurturing Librarian

Nicole explores the evolving concept of the 'To Be Read' (TBR) list, highlighting its transformation from a manageable list of a few books to an expansive array of reading possibilities. Let's discuss the joy and pressure of navigating these vast TBRs, emphasizing that it's perfectly fine not to finish everything. The focus is on mood-driven reading and selecting books that 'feel right' in the mom...